Stamp-affixing machine.



PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905.

S. PARMER.

STAMP AFPIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4,1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PA TENTED JUNE 2'7, 1905.

S. FARMER.

STAMP AFPIXING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG, 4, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTBD JUNE 27 S. FARMER.

STAMP AFFIXING MACHINE.

.- 1 ll l .H HHI H I I I I II HI illlllll l Ill:

4 SHEETSSHBET 3.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.4, 1902.

No. 793,126. PATENTED JUNE 27, 1905. S. PARM'ER.

STAMP AFFIXIN-G MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 4, 1902.

4 BEEETBSHEBT 4.

UNITED STATES Patented June 27, 1905.

PATENT @FFICE.

SAMUEL FARMER, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, ASSIGNOR TO A. F. FLFGEL, OF POR'TLANI), OREGON.

STAMP-AFFIXING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,126, dated June 27, 1905.

Application filed August 4 To m/Z Ilf/MHH/ it ntrt l con/007%:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL Famine, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Stamp- Affixing .\1achine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in machines of that class employed for IO afljxing postage or other stamps to envelops and packages, and has for its principal object to construct an improved machine into which a large quantity of stamps may be placed and consecutively fed and attached to the envelop 5 or package without danger of tearing or mu tilation and in which the supply will be continuous, a stamp being in readiness to be severed and attached at each movement of the machine until the supply is exhausted.

A further objectof the machine is to simplify the construction and to actuate at a single movement the stamp-cutter, the feeding device, the spraying device, and an indicator for registering the amount of stamps fed from the machine.

A still further object of the invention is to improve the feeding devices in such manner as to insure the positive holding of the stamps during the intervals in which the feeding mechanism is returned to initial position and to remove the frictional holding devices from contact with the stamps during the feeding movement.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the machine with an indicator and alarm which will register the number of stamps used and will sound an alarm when a determined number of stamps have been fed from the machine.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a stamp-affixing machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of 1902. Serial No- 118,331.

the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the machine looking in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view looking from the opposite end of the machine. Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sectional elevations of the machine on the lines 5 5 and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the machine, illustrating the registering and alarm mechanism. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of a modilied form of feeding mechanism. Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the spring-plate for holding the stamps in position between intervals of feeding. Fig. 11 is an inverted plan view of the holdingplate employed in connection with the singlerow stamp-feed. Fig. 12 is a detail view of a form of atomizer which may be employed.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the present machine it is proposed to arrange one or more sheets of stamps on a feedroller, the edges of a number of sheets being attached in any suitable manner, as by means of small portions of the marginal strips of the sheets, and then to feed the sheet laterally to a severing-knife, which will cut a row of stamps from the sheet. This row of stamps is then fed by an intermittent feed mechanism to a second cutter, where it is severed from So the row and pressed down in position by a single stroke of an operating-lever, the stroke of the lever also serving to spray the surface of the envelop below the stamp, to move a registering device, and to feed a stamp to cutting position.

The base 10 of the machine is formed of wood, on which is mounted a metallic frame 11 for the support of the various operating parts. At each end of the main frame is a 0 standard 12, forming bearings for a pair of longitudinally-disposed rock-shafts 13 and 14, the shaft 13 being provided with an operating-lever 15, by which the stamps maybe fed laterally from the supply-roller and cut into strips. On the opposite standards are bracketarms 16, having suitable slots for the recep tion of the gudgcons of a supply-roller 17,

the roller being provided with disk flanges at its opposite ends to serve as guides in rolling the stamps. As a convenient means for securing the edge of the first sheet of stamps to the roller said roller is provided with clips 18 of the character shown in Fig. 5, the clips merely serving to embrace the edge of the sheet and permitting the sheet to free itself in order that all the stamps on the roller may be utilized.

On the frame is mounted a smooth bed-plate 19, which extends from one standard to the other, the rear edge of the table being in alinement with a cutting edge 20, over which the sheet of stamps is fed, the movement at each operation being suflicient to feed a single row of stamps past the cutting edge andthe mechanism being so adjusted and operated as to stop the feed with a line of perforations of the stamp-sheet at the edge of the knife, the sheet being then held until the descent of a cuttingknife 21, which severs the projected strip of stamps of the main body of the sheet and forces the same into a feeding-trough 22, from whence the strip is fed in the direction of the stamping and moistening devices.

In the end standards 12 are arranged horizontally-disposed slots 23 for the reception of a longitudinallydisposed shaft or rod 24, which is connected by links 25 to suitable cranks 26, secured to the rock-shaft 14, one of such cranks and links being arranged near each end of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 2. The rock-shaft 13 is connected to the rockshaft 14 by means of a rocker-arm 28, secured to the rock-shaft 13, and a link 29, connected to the outer end of a crank 30, which is secured to the shaft 14. Thelink 29 is provided with an elongated slot 31 for the reception of a pin 32, carried by the bifurcated end of the rocker-arm 28, so that there will be considerable lost motion in the movement of the rocker-arm before any movement of the link will occur, this being for the purpose of permitting the operating-shaft to move the cutter-bar 33 while the shaft 14 is at rest.

On the lower side of the table 19 are secured a series of brackets 34, through which extend bolts 35, adapted to horizontal slots 36 in feed-slides 37, each of which is provided with a feed-block 38, projecting upwardly through a transversely-disp sed slot 39 in the table and provided with a number of teeth 40 for engagement with the perforations in a sheet of stamps. The inner end of each feed-slide is providedwith an inclined slot 41, through which passes the shaft or rod 24, the latter being provided with loose sleeves 42, which may turn freely on the shaft or rod in order to lessen the friction. On imparting movement to the shaft or rod 24 through the medium of the cranks 26 the shaft or rod will first move in the slots 41 and raise the feedblock 38 until the pins 40 are projected above the level of the plate for engagement with the stamps. The continued movement of the shaft or rod will cause the feed-blocks to travel to about the ends of the slots 39 in the table, the pins being still held in the elevated position. On reversing the movement the shaft or rod will act through the inclined slots to depress the feed-blocks until the pins are below the table and then cause a rearward movement of said feed-blocks to the position shown in Fig. 5, the pins being held out of contact with the stamps during this movement. In order to prevent any movement of the slide until it has first been either elevated or depressed, elastic washers 43 are placed between the heads of the bolts 35 and the feed-slides, the washers having sufficient frictional contact with the slide to prevent any movement thereof until the shaft or rod 24 has traveled the full length of the inclined slots. The outward movement of the shaft or rod 24 may be adjusted or limited by stopscrews 44, extending through threaded openings in the end standards to the guiding-slots 23, which support said rod or shaft.

1n the end standards 12 are vertically-disposed slots 46, through which extend guiding-pins 47, said slots and pins serving as guides for the end portions of a presser-plate 48, there being coiled springs 49 disposed on the rods or pins between the upper wall of the slot and the top of the presser-plate, the springs being of suflicient strength to hold the sheet of stamps firmly to the table during the intervals between the operation of the feeding mechanism. For convenience in introducing the edge of a sheet of stamps under the presser-plate when the machine is started a handle 50 is secured to the presserplate and a swinging hook 51 is arranged on the rock-shaft 13 for engagement with said handle to support the same in an elevated position. On the under side of the presserplate are formed a series of grooves 52, as shown in Figs. 5 and 10, such grooves extending parallel with each other and entirely across the presser-plate. A groove is provided for the reception of each of the stampengaging pins 40 on the various feed-blocks, and when the blocks are moved upward and the pins 40 pass through the perforations in the stamps the tops of the pins will engage the upper walls of the grooves and Will slightly raise the presser-plate in order that there may be no friction on the sheet of stamps and no resistance to the feeding movement in the direction of the cutters 20 and 21. After the forward feeding movement has been accomplished and the feed-blocks are lowered the springs 49 will again depress the presserplate into contact with the sheet of stamps and firmly hold the same until another engaging movement of the feed-blocks. In the present instance four feed-blocks are employed Lil for the lateral feeding of the stamps; but this number may be increased or diminished, as desired.

The trough 22, into which a strip of stamps is forced after being severed from the sheet, is formed in the metallic block 54:, having at one side a pair of brackets 55, in each of which is formed a recess 56 for the reception of a bearing-block 57, the position of which may be adjusted by a pair of screws 58. The blocks form bearings for a rod St), to which are secured the ends of arms 61). which form a part of the cutterbars 33. On the top of the cutter-bar are lugs 63, which are con nected by links (5% to cranks 65 on the main rock-shaft 13, so that on the movementof the shaft the cutter-bar may be raised or lowered, the bar moving in thearc of a circle of which the center is formed by the rod 59. The adjustable box 57, arranged at each end of the pivot-rod 59, permits of accurate adjustment of the cutting edges, so that the cutting action will be the same throughout the length of the knives and any wear which may occur may he readily compensated for.

The trough 22 has a smooth flat upper face, on which the gunnned side of the stamps may freely slide, the end of the trough'bcing immediately to the rear of a cutter plate 66 at one end of the machine. .In order to hold the stamps in place in the trough during the intervals between a fe ding operation which takes place in the trough in the direction of the cutting-plate (36, 1 provide a friction-strip 67 on the under face of the cutter-bar and extending beyond the ends of the same in the form of a spring-tongue 68, which terminates at a point adjacent to the rear face of the cutting-plate 66. The pressure exerted on the stamps by the strip 67 regulated partially by a screw (if), extending through the cutter-bar and impinging on the opposite face of the friction-plate, excessive downward movement of the cutter-bar and undue pressure on the stamps being prevented by a stop-screw 70, carried by the cutterbar and adapted for contact with the face of the trough.

Mounted in suitable horizontally-disposed guiding-slots T1 in the trough-frame are a pair of pins T2, one of which extends out through a slot formed in the sideof the frame, and said pins are connected by a link 73, which receives motion from a lever T4 in a manner hereinafter described. The two pins are connectcd for horizontal movement by links and extend through inclined slots 76, formed in a feed-slide T7. The rear end of the slide 77 is provided with an elongated slot T8, supported by a transverselydisposed bolt or screw T9, on which may be placed a flexible washer or equivalent friction device of the character employed in connection with the lateral feedslide.

The slide 77 carries two feed-blocks 80 and 81, each having stamp-engaging pins 82 of a character similar to the pins of the lateral feed-blocks, the distance between the pins of the two blocks being equal to twice the length of a postage-stamp, so that while the feedblock 80 is engaging with the last stamp of a row the second feed-block may be in engagement with the first stamp of a new row, it being designed to cut off a fresh row of stamps as soon as the last stamp of a preceding row has reached the end of the longcutting-knife, so that there will be a continuous feed from the trough, a stamp being projected beyond the cutter-blade 66 at each operation. The friction-strip 67 is provided with longitudimilly-disposed grooves of a character similar to the grooves of the friction-plate 48 for the reception of the pins 82 of the feed-blocks, the operation in this case being precisely similar to the operation of the lateral fecd'blocks and the friction-strips being held from contact with the stamps during the feeding movement in engaging with and holding the stamps during the descent of the feed-blocks and their return to feeding position. In order to prevent the end of a row of stamps rising with the cutter-block when the latter is elevated to permit the feeding movement of the sheet, I employ a pair of guards 85, arranged one on each side of the feeding-trough, the edges of the stamps passing under said guards, and the sides of the friction-strip being cut away, as indicated in Fig. 2, to afford space for the guards and in order not to interfere with the upward movement of the cutter-bar- At the front end or head of the machine is a box or casing 30, forming a housing for the mechanism for operating the cutting, feeding, spraying, registering, and alarm mechanisms, all of the devices being actuated by a single stroke of an operating-lever 91. In the upper and lower walls of the casing are formed openings for the reception of vertically-movable rods 92, to the lower ends of which is secured a pressenplate 93, the lower face of which is provided with a yielding pad or cushion M, by which the stamps are forced one by one into contact with the previouslymoiste-ned surface of an envelop or package placed on the receiving bed 95. To the presser-plate is secured a cutting-knife 96, which coacts with the cutting edge of the plate 66 to sever the stamps from the row as they are fed along the trough, the downward movement of the presser-plate severing a stamp from the row and forcing the stamp into contact with the envelop or wrapper at a single movement. To the vertical rod 92 is secured a block 97, between which and the lower Wall of the casing are arranged compression-springs 98, which serve to return the block, rods, and all of the attached mechanisms to initial position after each downward stroke of the operating-lever 91. The operating-lever extends through a vertical slot in the casing and at its inner end is pivthe bed 95.

oted to a lug 99, the intermediate portion of the lever having a slot 100 for the reception of a pin or antifriction-roller 101, projecting from the block 97. On the downward movement of the operating-lever the block and rods will be depressed against the action of the compression-springs, the slot 100 permitting the free movement of the lever while in engagement with the roller 101. On one side of the block 97 is secured a pin carrying an antifriction-roller 102, adapted to a cam-slot 103 in the upper end of the lever 74, which is operatively connected to the feeding-blocks in the trough, said lever being fulcrumed on a pin 104, so that the vertical movement of the roller 102 as it is traveled with the block will effect the desired-horizontal reciprocatory motion of the feed-block.

In the lower portion of the base of the machine is a reservoir 105, in which is placed a sufficient quantity of water for moistening any desired number of envelops or packages. From the reservoir leads 'a pipe 106, terminating in a minute discharge-nozzle 107, Fig. 12, which is arranged at a point to the rear of a spraying-opening 108, formed in the end of the casing at a point immediately below the cutter-plate 66. In the end casing 90 is a bellows or bulb 110, from which leads an airpipe 111, the end of which is closed. Near the end of the air-tube is formed adischargeopening 112, immediately in line with the noz- Zle of the water-discharge pipe and with the opening.108 in the casing, so that when air is forced through said opening 112 by the action of the bellows or air-bulb the Water will be drawn from the reservoir to the nozzle and sprayed on the envelop or package resting on The spraying device is of a construction similar to that employed in ordinary atomizers.

Near the top of the casing is pivoted one end of a lever 113, the lower end of which is in operative contact with the bellows or bulb, and at a point near the upper end of said lever is an antifriction-roller 114, so arranged with respect to a cam 115 on the block 97 that on the first portion of the downstroke of the operating-lever the bulb or bellows will be compressed to effect the operating of the spraying device in advance of the operation of the cutting-knives. The shape of the camslot 103 and the position of the operatingroller 102 are such that the feeding movement of the blocks 80 and 81 will also occur before the cutting-blade reaches the cutting edge 66, so that a stamp will be projected in position to be severed and pressed into contact with the moistened surface of the envelop or package by the time the presser-block reaches cutting position.

On the front face of the casing 90 is arranged a dial 117, bearing numerals from 1 to 10, inclusive, and at the center of the dial the casing forms a hearing or a shaft 118,

carrying a hand or pointer 119, adapted to travel over the face of the dial. On the inner end of the shaft 118, at a point within the casing, is a ratchet-wheel 120, having ten teeth, with which engages a pawl 121, pivoted to the front face of the block 97, the pawl engaging the ratchet-wheel and moving the same to the extent of a single tooth on each clownward movement of the block 97. The ratchetwheel is held from any reverse movement by a locking-pawl 122. On the top of the casing is mounted a bell or other alarm 123, adapted to be engaged by a clapper carried by a rod 124, pivoted at 125 within the casing and having its lower end in the path of movement of a pin 126, projecting from the front face of the ratchet-wheel, the position of the pin with respect to the indicating-hand or pointer being such that as the pointer is opposite 10 on the dial the alarm will be sounded, notifying the operator that it is time to feed and sever another row of stamps from the sheet.

In operating the machine the presser-plate 48 is raised and a sheet of stamps is introduced between the presser-plate and the table until the edge of the sheet is in contact with the cutting-knife 21, at which time the pins 40 of the feed-block will be in alinement with the perforations which divide the second and third rows of the sheet. The presser-plate is then allowed to descend until it rests upon the stamps. The parts at this time are in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, and when the operating-lever is moved in the direction of the arrow, Figs. 3 and 5, the first effect of the movement will be to elevate the cutter-bar 33, raising the cutting edge of the knife 21 above the knife 20, this movement occurring while the pin 32 at the lower end of the rocker-arm 28 is traversing the slot 31 in link 29, so that no movement of the feeding mechanisms will occur until the pin reaches the end of the slot, after which continued movement in the same direction will be transmitted through the link 29, the crank 30, rock-shaft 14, cranks 26, and links to the shaft or rod 24, causinga movement of the latter in the direction of the cutting-knives. The first effect of this movement is to elevate the feed-blocks, causing the pins to enter the perforations between the rows of stamps and raise the presser-plate 48 from contact with the stamps. When the shaft or rod 24 has reached the end of the inclined slot 41, the feed-blocks will be moved in the direction of the stamps for a distance equal to the width of a stamp, projecting a row of stamps past the cutting-knife 20 and immediately over the receiving trough 22. The direction of movement of the operatinglever is now reversed, causing a downward movement of the cutter-bar, cutting the projecting row from the sheet of stamps, and forcing the same into the trough 22 and below the friction-strip 67. Owing to the elongated slot 31 of the link 29, no movement of IIS the feeding devices can occur until after the cutting action, after which the feed-blocks are lowered, permitting the friction-plate to again come into contact with and hold the stamps, while the feed-blocks are returned to initial position. The severed row of stamps in the trough 22 is now in such position that a number of its perforations will be engaged by the teeth of the feed-blocl 81, and on a downward movement of the lever 91 the atomizer will first be operated to moisten the envelop, this operation occurring simultaneously with the movement of the feeding-block 81 through the medium of the lever 7T projectinga stamp beyond the cutter-plate 66 in position to be severed by the blade 96 as the downward movement of the operating-lever 91 is continued, the severed stamp being forced by the cushioned surface of the presser-block into contact with the moistened surface of the envelop or wrapper. During this movement the indicator 119 has been actuated, and if the indicator is approaching the numerals 10 of the dial the alarm will be operated.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have illustrated aslightlymodilied construction of the mechanism for feeding the stamps from the trough 22. In this construction the feed-slide '77 is much shorter than the slide shown in Fig. 1 and is provided with an elongated slot inclined at its ends, as indicated at T6. Projecting through the slot and supported by guides 128 is a block 129, having a pin 130, projecting through a slot in the framework for engagement with the end of the connecting-link 75. The block 129 carries antifriction-rollers 131, engaging in the inclined end portions of the slot, and the feed-slide is held from movement in either direction until one of such rollers has made contact with the end of the slot by a tensionspring 132, secured to a fixed point and embracing a pin 133, carried by said slide. The operation of the device is the same as that of the device illustrated in Fig. 1.

In place of the bulb illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings .1 may employ a bellows or any other suitable form of air-pumping device, and instead of a single indicating-dial I may employ a plurality of dials having transferring mechanism in order to keep an accurate record of the number of times the machine has operated. The bell instead of being placed on the top of the casing maybe at one side thereof or at any other convenient point.

The operating portions of the mechanism are surrounded by a paneled and ornamented casing 140, which may be made partially of glass in order that the operation may be observed, one of the panels, as 1 11, being hinged to the others, so that it may be readily opened to replenish the stamps on the supply-roller.

\Vhile the construction herein described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is the preferred form of the device, it is obvious that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrilicing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a stamp-allixing machine, a supporting bed or table, a cutting-knife, means for feeding the stamps in the direction of the cutting-knife, a presser-plate adapted to force said stamps against the bed or table,and means operable by the feeding mechanism for moving said plate out of contact with the stamps during the feeding movement.

2. In a stamp-affixing machine, a grooved presser-plate, a feeding device comprising a toothed block, means for reciprocating the same, and means for moving said toothed block into engagement with the stamps at the beginning of its feeding movement and for moving said block from engagement with the stamps at the end of the feeding movement, the teeth of the block passing through the perforations of the stamp-sheet into the grooves of the presser-plate and serving to move the plate out of contact with the stamps during the feeding operation.

3. In a stamp-aliixing machine, a feedingblock having teeth for engagement with the stamps, means for reciprocating said block, a movable presser-plate adapted to hold said stamps during the intervals between feeding movements, and means for moving said toothed block into contact with the stamps and plate, thereby removing the plate from contact with the stamps during the feeding movement.

a. In a stamp-affixing machine, a toothed feeding-block, a bed or table, a grooved friction-plate adapted to hold a sheet of stamps in contact with the bed or table, means for reciprocating the feeding-block, and means for elevating said block to cause a movement of its teeth through the perforations of a sheet of stamps and into engagement with the grooved portions of the presser-plate at the beginning of a feeding movement, the teeth being forced into contact with the bottoms of the grooves and effecting a vertical movement of the presser-plate to hold the latter out of contact with the stamps during the feeding operation, substantially as specified.

. 5. In a stamp-affixing machine, the combination with a bed or table,'a trough arranged at the rear edge of the table and adapted to receive a severed row of stamps, means for intermittently feeding a sheet of stamps in the direction of the trough, a movable troughtop, a friction means carried thereby for contact with the severed row of stamps, cuttingblades carried by the trough-top and the edge wall of the trough, means for intermittently feeding said row of stamps from the trough and simultaneously releasing the friction means from contact with said stamps, and mechanism adjacent to the discharge end of the trough for cutting and pressing the stamps into contact With moistened envelops or the like as said stamps are successively projected beyond the end of the trough.

6. In a stamp-afiixing machine, the combination with a bed or table, of a cutting-knife adapted to sever a single row of stamps from a sheet, mechanism for intermittently feeding the sheet toward the knife, frictional holding devices adapted to make contact with the sheet between feeding intervals, and means forming a part of the feeding mechanism for automatically moving said frictional holding device out of contact with the sheet of stamps during the feeding movement, substantially as specified.

7 In a stamp-affixing machine, the combination with a bed or table, of a cutting-knife adapted to sever a single row of stamps from a sheet, mechanism for intermittently feeding the sheet in the direction of the knife, a trough adapted to receive the severed row of stamps, means for intermittently feeding said row to project single stamps beyond the end thereof, a cutting-knife for severing the projected stamps, frictional holding devices adapted to retain both the sheet and the row of stamps in position between feeding intervals, and mechanism operable by said feeding devices to move the holding devices from contact with the stamps during the feeding movements.

8. In a stamp-affixing machine, a cutting knife for severing a single row of stamps from a sheet, mechanism for feeding the sheet of stamps in the direction of the knife, an operating-shaft connected to and operating both the cutting-knife and the feeding mechanism, mechanism for intermittently feeding the single roW of stamps in the direction of its length, a cutting-bladefor severing single stamps from the row, and an operating-lever connected to both the single-row feeder and cutting-blade, substantially as specified.

9. In a stamp-afiixing machine, the combination with a bed or table, of a cutting-knife adapted to sever a row of stamps from a sheet, a cutter-bar carrying said knife, a frictionplate, secured to the bottom of said cutterbar, means for adjusting said plate, and means for removing the plate from contact with the stamps during feeding intervals, substantially as specified.

10. In a stamp-affixing machine, the combination with a bed or table, of a cutting-knife adapted to sever a row of stamps from a sheet, a receiving-trough for the severed row, acutter-bar carrying said knife and adapted to force the severed row of stamps into said trough, a friction-plate secured to the bottom of said cutter-bar, and means for intermittently raising the friction-plate from contactwith the stamps, and for feeding said stamps from the trough.

11. Inastamp-affixingmachine,areceiving trough, an adjustable friction-plate therein for contact with the stamps between feeding intervals, and means for removing said plate from contact with the stamps andfor feeding said stamps from the trough.

12. In a stamp-affixing machine, a slotted bed or table for the reception of stamps, a friction plate adapted for contact With said stamps, said plate being provided with grooves extending in a line parallel with the direction of feeding movement, a toothed feeding-block adapted to enter the grooves of said plate, and means for reciprocating said block in both longitudinal and in vertical directions, the

teeth of the block being forced into engagement with the bottoms of the grooves and raising said plate out of contact with the upper surface of the stamps during the feeding operation, substantially as specified.

13. A stamp-feeding means comprising a movable friction -plate having grooves and adapted for contact with the stamps between feeding intervals, a block having teeth adapted to pass through the perforations in a stampsheet and to enter the grooves of the plate, means for elevating the block at the beginning of the feeding movement to reduce the fric tional contact between the plate and stamps, means for reciprocating the block, and means for lowering said block at the completion of a feeding movement.

M. A stamp -feeding means comprising a pair of spaced blocks adapted to engage in the perforations of a stamp-sheet, a slide carrying said blocks, and provided with inclined slots, horizontally-guided pins adapted to said slots, links connecting the pins, means for reciprocating the pins and slide, and a friction device for holding the slide during the initial movement of said pins.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL FARMER.

WVitnesses:

J. P. FARMER, A. F. FLEGEL. 

